Noa Nadruku
Encyclopedia
Noa Nadruku is a Fiji
an former rugby football
er of the 1980s and 90s. After representing Fiji in rugby union
he played rugby league
in Australia for the Canberra Raiders
(92 games between 1993 and 1997) and was named as one of the best 25 players for the Raiders' 25-year anniversary. His usual position was winger and in addition to winning the 1994 NSWRL Premiership, in 1993
and 1996 he was the top try-scorer in the League. The "Noa Nadruku Trophy" is awarded to the Australia Fijian Rugby League's player of the year.
Nadruku first played international rugby union for Fiji in 1988 and played a total of five games for his country between then and 1991. In 1993, while playing in the Sevens tournament, he was spotted by Canberra coach Tim Sheens
and invited to train with the Canberra Raiders
of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
. He had a slow start, but against Cronulla in the fifth round Nadruku became a sensation with his compact build providing tremendous speed and power, and scored two tries, setting up several others. Against Manly Nadruku created even more of an impression with strong defence to complement his powerful running. By the end of the year Nadruku had scored 22 tries in just twenty games - being the first player to score more than one try per game in a full season since Larry Corowa
fifteen years before.
A serious injury kept Nadruku off the field for the first half of 1994 but by the finals he was back at his best. Though he was criticised for dropping key bombs in the earlier finals, Nadruku was one of Canberra's best in their big win over Canterbury-Bankstown in the grand final, scoring a try, making several powerful runs, and involving himself throughout.
After an ordinary season by his own high standards in 1995, Nadruku played for Fiji in the 1995 World Cup
. He helped Laurie Daley
hold the Raiders together in a 1996 season decimated by injuries to Ricky Stuart
and Bradley Clyde
and suspensions to Kiwi props John Lomax
and Quentin Pongia
. This season he was again the League's top try-scorer.
A dispute over an off-field incident in which Nadruku was charged with assaulting two women (but acquitted in controversial circumstances on the basis of a lack of intention given the level of his intoxication) led to his sacking from the Raiders at the end of 1997. Nadruku finished his career with the North Queensland Cowboys
under his old coach Tim Sheens, often playing centre (where he had played most of his rugby union) but retaining his trademark power and pace.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
an former rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
er of the 1980s and 90s. After representing Fiji in rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
he played rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
in Australia for the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
(92 games between 1993 and 1997) and was named as one of the best 25 players for the Raiders' 25-year anniversary. His usual position was winger and in addition to winning the 1994 NSWRL Premiership, in 1993
New South Wales Rugby League season 1993
The 1993 NSWRL season was the eighty-sixth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. The New South Wales Rugby League's sixteen teams competed for the J. J...
and 1996 he was the top try-scorer in the League. The "Noa Nadruku Trophy" is awarded to the Australia Fijian Rugby League's player of the year.
Nadruku first played international rugby union for Fiji in 1988 and played a total of five games for his country between then and 1991. In 1993, while playing in the Sevens tournament, he was spotted by Canberra coach Tim Sheens
Tim Sheens
Tim Sheens is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He currently coaches the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League and in 2009 was appointed coach of the Australian national team, the Kangaroos...
and invited to train with the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
of the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
. He had a slow start, but against Cronulla in the fifth round Nadruku became a sensation with his compact build providing tremendous speed and power, and scored two tries, setting up several others. Against Manly Nadruku created even more of an impression with strong defence to complement his powerful running. By the end of the year Nadruku had scored 22 tries in just twenty games - being the first player to score more than one try per game in a full season since Larry Corowa
Larry Corowa
Larry Corowa is an Indigenous Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s, 80s and 90s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative winger, he played club football for the Balmain Tigers and the Gold Coast Seagulls in the New South Wales Rugby...
fifteen years before.
A serious injury kept Nadruku off the field for the first half of 1994 but by the finals he was back at his best. Though he was criticised for dropping key bombs in the earlier finals, Nadruku was one of Canberra's best in their big win over Canterbury-Bankstown in the grand final, scoring a try, making several powerful runs, and involving himself throughout.
After an ordinary season by his own high standards in 1995, Nadruku played for Fiji in the 1995 World Cup
1995 Rugby League World Cup
The 1995 Rugby League World Cup was held during October in the United Kingdom. It was the eleventh staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was marketed as the Halifax Centenary World Cup, reflecting the tournament's sponsorship and the fact that 1995 marked the 100th birthday of the sport...
. He helped Laurie Daley
Laurie Daley
Laurie Daley OA is an Australian rugby league football commentator and former player of Indigenous Australian descent. He represented Australia on 26 occasions and has since been named as one of the nation's finest players of the 20th century...
hold the Raiders together in a 1996 season decimated by injuries to Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...
and Bradley Clyde
Bradley Clyde
Bradley Clyde is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who, at the peak of his playing career was widely acknowledged as the best lock forward in the game....
and suspensions to Kiwi props John Lomax
John Lomax (rugby league)
John Junior Lomax is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country. He is the brother of another international, David Lomax.-Early years:...
and Quentin Pongia
Quentin Pongia
Quentin Lee Pongia is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who represented his country. He is the grandson of fellow Kiwi international Jim Calder and his sister Megan Tahapeehi has also represented the Kiwi Ferns.-Playing career:Originally from the West Coast,...
. This season he was again the League's top try-scorer.
A dispute over an off-field incident in which Nadruku was charged with assaulting two women (but acquitted in controversial circumstances on the basis of a lack of intention given the level of his intoxication) led to his sacking from the Raiders at the end of 1997. Nadruku finished his career with the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
under his old coach Tim Sheens, often playing centre (where he had played most of his rugby union) but retaining his trademark power and pace.